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In This Issue
In Memory Page
Center Renewals
Riders Assistance Scholarship
Life Member Pins
Standards Reorganization
In Remembrance
Region Conferences
Webinars
Equine Tips
Subcommittees Seeking Members
Hosting Events
Workshops and Certifications
Quick Links


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PATH Intl. Sponsors
If you have any questions about sponsoring PATH Intl. or exhibiting at the 2012 PATH International Conference & Annual Meeting, please contact

Megan Ream. 

 

Title Sponsor

Purina

 

Platinum Sponsor
Tekna Saddles 

 

Gold Sponsors

Adequan

Equine Network/AIM

Equisure

Markel

Platinum Performance

 

Silver

American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 

AQHA 

Equus Foundation 

 

Bronze                             Pewter

AQHA Foundation

Racing Unified Network

Breyer 

Region 4  

Farnam

Show Me Animal Products 

Triple Crown Nutrition

WESA

Honor the Special People and Equines in Your Life
Throughout our lives, there are people who touch our hearts and there are horses that change us forever. PATH Intl. is now offering a way to honor the special people or equines in your life or to remember someone who helped change your life. Click here to visit the In Honor and In Memory web page. Download the form and fax, (303) 252-4610, or email it to Megan Ream.

Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International  

January 17, 2012   

AQHA Gives PATH Intl. Instructors CE Scholarship Opportunity
AQHA logoThe American Quarter Horse Foundation, a PATH Intl. alliance partner, is happy to announce that beginning in 2012, an important addition will be made to criteria for the America's Horse Cares grant program, which benefits therapeutic horseback riding facilities providing equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT).

In addition to requests for scholarship and equipment funding, the AHC program will offer funding to benefit the continuing education of a PATH Intl. Certified Instructor, therapist, employee or volunteer of PATH Intl. Centers. Requests must be made by the organization and will be subject to requirements, including: 
  • Organization must be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
  • Organization must be in existence for three years or more and seek support for enhancement of an existing program or project
  • Organization must be a PATH Intl. Center Member
Funding is available for non-academic coursework offered through PATH Intl. Coursework may include upcoming conference activities and or other experiential training that specializes in an individual's EAAT field of choice. Upon completion of the coursework, organizations must provide proof of attendance and or course completion.

The updated AHC application and guidelines are currently available on the AQHA website. The deadline to submit an application is March 1, 2012.
PATH Intl. Riders Assistance Scholarship
Thanks to the generosity of its donors, in 2012 PATH Intl. is able to fund one $300 need-based scholarship for a child to participate in a therapeutic horsemanship program at a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center. The purpose of this fund is to assist a child who would not otherwise be financially able to participate in a therapeutic horsemanship program at a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center. Click here to access the application.

Please email the completed scholarship applications to Megan Ream. All scholarship applications must be in the PATH Intl. office by February 15, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact Megan at (800) 369-7433, ext. 107.
Life Member Pins
With our name change, we now have a new PATH Intl. life member pin. If you would like a new pin and weren't at the conference in Lexington to pick one up, please contact Megan Ream at (800) 369-7433, ext. 107. Thank you for life commitment to PATH Intl!
PATH Intl. Community Connections
Opportunities
PATH Intl. Community Connections is up and running and waiting for YOU! It's the PATH Intl. social networking tool, or "Facebook," for members by member. If you want to connect with other members, share resources and ideas, upload events onto your community calendar, ask questions or have discussions about your area of interest, this is the place to do it.

Want to take a more active role in your area of interest? Would you like to help the field develop and grow? Are you interested in leadership opportunities within PATH Intl.? If so, the following communities are seeking applications for their leadership teams:
During the PATH Intl. Conference in Kentucky the membership identified a number of additional communities they wanted to create. We would like to move forward with the process of creating these communities but we need your help. Remember, this is for members by members so we need members to step forward and help create. If you see a community listed below that you would like to take a leadership role in starting, please email Leif Hallberg with a resume, short bio and a cover letter explaining your interest.
  • Physical Therapists/Occupational Therapists/Speech and Language Pathologists
  • Research
The chair and the leadership teams manage the communities by moderating group discussions, uploading resources and events for members, providing ethics support and resources, being an advisor to the Membership Oversight Committee and ensuing that the needs of the community are met through projects, activities and other advocacy efforts.

Yahoo Group Update
We are working with the various PATH Intl. Yahoo Groups to identify moderators who would like to continue moderating the existing Yahoo Groups as non-PATH Intl. affiliated networking opportunities. In this way we hope to support the hard work and dedication that has gone into the various Yahoo Groups, but also start shifting our attention to the Community Connections groups that are "for members by members." Questions? Contact Leif Hallberg.

If you want your voice heard, check out PATH Intl. Community Connections and get involved!
 
PATH Intl. Center Renewals
As a reminder, center renewals were due December 31. Centers renewing between now and March 31, 2012 must include a $50 late fee with their center renewal. The 90-day membership renewal grace period began on January 1, 2012. If you have already renewed your center membership, thank you.

Click here to renew online. NOTE: The center's primary contact or executive director must be logged in to their personal account in order to renew online.

A hard copy renewal is still an option. Download and complete the center renewal booklet and renewal invoice from the PATH Intl. website, and mail it in.

Click here to download the center renewal booklet.

Centers that prefer to pay by check may now complete the center renewal booklet online and mail a check for center membership dues.

Click here for instructions on renewing your center membership online.

Reminder: Send in Your Instructor Report 
If you are renewing your center membership online, be sure to send in your instructor report. The membership department has received many online renewals but only a handful of instructor reports. Your center will be considered non-compliant if the instructor report is not received.
Standards Reorganization
In August 2011 a task force was formed to review the current organization of the PATH Intl. Standards for Certification and Accreditation manual. In the course of the review, it is evident that due to increased activities and certifications and yearly additions to the Standards Manual the time has come for a reorganization of the content. While the content remains the same, the intent is to eliminate duplications and create a much more user friendly manual with the publication of the 2012 edition. Click here for more details. 
In Remembrance: Doug McCowan
Doug McCowan, a former PATH Intl. instructor and center director, passed away December 13, 2011, in Kirkland, WA. Doug trained at the Cheff Center in Augusta to be a NARHA Certified Instructor. His career was spent helping others as a counselor with VisionQuest, head instructor at Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Woodinville, WA, and director at Hawk Ridge Therapeutic Center in Fall City, WA. Memorial services were held in Woodinville, WA, and also at the Cheff Center.
Upcoming Region Conferences: Save the Date
Region 6  March 9-11  Fargo, ND. Contact: Bette Shipley, Kristi Schaefer or Erika Berg
Region 2  March 23-25  Middletown, MD  Contact: Ginny Gaylor
Region 3  March 23-25  Williamsburg, VA  Contact: Nancy Paschall
Region 4: March 30-31  Paducah, KY  Contact: Denise Spittler
Region 1  April 20-22  Putney, VT  Contact: Kate Davis-McKelvy 

Other dates will be coming soon. Check the region conference calendar or your region's webpage for the latest details.
Announcing PATH Intl. Webinars
woman at computerHave you ever wished you could get more personalized instruction from a presenter or a workshop? Webinars can give you the personal attention you want in an easy-to-follow format, all from the comfort of your own computer. In our continuing efforts to increase communication and educational opportunities for PATH Intl. members, PATH Intl. is launching a new webinar system beginning in January 2012. Offerings in January will include a guide through the PATH Intl. center accreditation process as well as HIPAA training and awareness. Dates and registration details will follow. The first webinar is "Steps to Successful Accreditation" on January 30. To register, log in to the PATH Intl. online store. Space is limited to the first 15 registrants.
 Equine Tips From the Equine Welfare Committee
Tips to Help Prevent Therapy Horse Stress and Burnout 
By Marcie Ehrman, Equine Welfare Committee 
 
Studies have shown that EAAT can be extremely stressful for our equine partners. Imagine that the horse - trained to respond to his rider's subtle aids ... Read more
 
The Equine Welfare Committee encourages positive and engaging educational exploration from our readers - we'd love to hear your feedback! Please let us know if you have any questions about our tip or have a suggestion about specific topics you would be interested in learning more about in the future. Email Kristin Mason, EWC chair. Thank you!
Two PATH Intl. Subcommittees Seeking New Members 
PATH Intl. Riding Certification Subcommittee
The PATH Intl. Riding Certification Subcommittee seeks one enthusiastic new member to join the committee. Applicants should have a strong interest in therapeutic riding and desire to continue the development and improve the PATH Intl. Riding Instructor Certification Process. Click here for criteria, purpose and description of this subcommittee. Email Tara McChesney with questions. The submission deadline is February 13, 2012.

PATH Intl. Equine Specialist Certification Subcommittee
The PATH Intl. Equine Specialist Certification Subcommittee seeks two enthusiastic new members to join the committee. Applicants should have a strong interest in therapeutic riding, EFL and EFP, desire to continue the development and improve the equine specialist certification. Click here for criteria, purpose and description of this subcommittee. Email Tara McChesney with questions. The submission deadline is February 13, 2012. 
Consider Hosting a PATH Intl. Event
We hope 2012 will be full of exciting events at PATH Intl. Centers! Click here to download the intent to host forms for all PATH Intl. events. Read through the intent to host packets for details concerning hosting an event. We want to add more driving workshops on the west coast, ESMHL workshops and skills tests and vaulting workshops/ certifications to our 2012 calendar, so please consider hosting an event.

Contact Abby Hendren or call (800) 369-7433 with questions regarding the 2012 workshops or hosting process.

PATH Intl. Events Calendar
Unless otherwise noted, contact Abby Hendren at (800) 369-7433, ext. 104, with questions. All dates are subject to change. To register for an event, please contact the host site directly. You can locate its contact information under Find a Center on the PATH Intl. home page or on the  PATH Intl. events calendar.

PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning Workshop and Practical Skills Testing
February 24-27, 2012
MTRA in Ocala, FL

September 14-16, 2012
Sunnyside Equestrian Center in Lincroft, NJ

October 24-27, 2012
Hearts & Horses, Inc. in Loveland, CO

PATH Intl. Driving Workshop and Certification combination event
Workshop is held the first 2-1/2 days, certification held the last 2-1/2 days. Specific schedule sent by host site.
August 7-11, 2012
BraveHearts at the Bergmann Center in Poplar Grove, IL

PATH Intl. Advanced Certification Event
May 29-31, 2012
High Hopes Therapeutic Riding in Old Lyme, CT

September 10-12, 2012
BraveHearts in Harvard, IL

PATH Intl. Vaulting Workshop/Certification Event
No events at this time
 
PATH Intl. Mentor Training
February 28-29, 2012
Therapeutic Horsemanship in Wentzville, MO
 
May 20-21, 2012
Saddle Up! in Franklin, TN

Please visit the PATH Intl. events calendar for a list of 2012 Registered On-Site Workshops and Certifications. 

Please direct correspondence about this newsletter to PATH Intl. eNews coordinator. PATH Intl. eNews is a benefit of Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International membership. No portion of this publication may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, scanned or electronic process without written permission from PATH Intl. PATH Intl. reserves the right to reject, accept and edit submitted material. PATH Intl. eNews is intended as an information exchange and an opportunity for communication for members in the field of equine assisted activities. The opinions, practices or products presented in PATH Intl. eNews do not necessarily reflect PATH Intl. policy, imply PATH Intl. endorsement or comply with PATH Intl. standards.

 
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